Any input on Blizzard FIS SL skis?

[bbbradley]

Thanks for all the guidance here!

 

[pchewn]

I'm glad I'm not shopping for FIS slalom skis -- it sounds too confusing.

Other than SKU numbers and some extra letters in the product name: What's the actual construction/shape/tuning/or other measurable difference in these skis?

 

[GB_Ski]

(Oh and the good /bad news is that somehow the closet is full to overflowing again so look for lots of skis for sale in the early fall!)

I'll take any SL/master skis fit for a skier 165#, 5'9. Just tell me where to send the money.

 

[ScotsSkier]

I'll take any SL/master skis fit for a skier 165#, 5'9. Just tell me where to send the money.

Will be a couple of months before ready to go. I’ll put you on the list

 

[bbbradley]

I'm glad I'm not shopping for FIS slalom skis -- it sounds too confusing.

Other than SKU numbers and some extra letters in the product name: What's the actual construction/shape/tuning/or other measurable difference in these skis?

In the grand scheme of things, it's a good problem to have!

 

[AlpedHuez]

So is this ski equivalent to the Blizzard SL WC FIS RD or the FIS, or the SL?

SkiEssentials

www.skiessentials.com

 

[bbbradley]

So is this ski equivalent to the Blizzard SL WC FIS RD or the FIS?

SkiEssentials

www.skiessentials.com

Nordica SKU 0A800800
Blizzard SKU 8A800800
*edit* realized I didn't explicitly answer your question... The Blizzard skis and the Nordica skis for the SKUs are the top level skis - AKA Blizzard RD FIS

I think from what @ScotsSkier said that is the case.

 

[bbbradley]

What better way to deal with the hottest day of the summer than to try and cool things down by buying a Blizzard! They do look quite nice, and I've been known to fancy bright, obnoxious colors, so the orange is perfect for me.

 

[slowrider]

 

[James]

View attachment 136835

Skip, and get the S9 FIS. I don’t get why people are gaga over that S9. I’ve spent like 4 or 5 days on a rental. It’s more confining and limited than an FIS version.

 

[slowrider]

Skip, and get the S9 FIS. I don’t get why people are gaga over that S9. I’ve spent like 4 or 5 days on a rental. It’s more confining and limited than an FIS version.

As a Intermediate recreational skier I probably couldn't tell the difference.

 

[James]

As a Intermediate recreational skier I probably couldn't tell the difference.

Yeah, you could.
I’d take, and did exchange for, their old recreational double deck over that S9.

 

[bbbradley]

I kind of wish they took longer to ship the skis to me...now I have waaaayyyy too long before I can use them.

 

[DocGKR]

165 FIS SL

Note that all of these skis have a 0.5/3 tune by StartHaus or Race Place; subjective hand flex of the ski is in comparison to the other skis listed here. The below subjective comments are based on and biased by my age, condition, skiing style, location, etc…

Atomic Redster S9 FIS SL 165cm/12.5m (117.5-65.8-102.5): Medium flex. Lightning quick edge to edge--perhaps the quickest ski I have ever been on. A bit nervous and twitchy; not quite as stable at speed as other FIS SL’s I’ve tried. X-VAR binding is great, as it allows for easy fore-aft adjustment on-the-fly to optimize binding position without a remount.

Blizzard/Nordica FIS RD SL 165cm/12.5m (116.5/65.5/101.5): Stiff flex. Tenacious edge grip, extremely powerful and solid, unbelievably stable at speed. While not subjectively my favorite to ski, I actually objectively ski best on this--getting higher edge angles, better lines, faster times.

Dynastar/Rossignol FIS SL 165cm/13m (116-67-103): Soft flex. By far the easiest and most fun to ski of all the FIS SL’s I’ve tried, both in the course and just free-skiing on-piste. Lot’s of rebound energy, no problems gripping hard snow, high speed limit. Definitely my favorite FIS SL to ski.

Bottom line: the Dynastar/Rossi is like a Golden Retriever, it wants to play, it wants to please you, it wants more! The Blizzard/Nordica is like a Belgian Malinois--energetic, devoted, but serious. The Atomic is a Greyhound, quick, twitchy, edgy.

 

[Tony S]

165 FIS SL

View attachment 160482

Note that all of these skis have a 0.5/3 tune by StartHaus or Race Place; subjective hand flex of the ski is in comparison to the other skis listed here. The below subjective comments are based on and biased by my age, condition, skiing style, location, etc…

Atomic Redster S9 FIS SL 165cm/12.5m (117.5-65.8-102.5): Medium flex. Lightning quick edge to edge--perhaps the quickest ski I have ever been on. A bit nervous and twitchy; not quite as stable at speed as other FIS SL’s I’ve tried. X-VAR binding is great, as it allows for easy fore-aft adjustment on-the-fly to optimize binding position without a remount.

Blizzard/Nordica FIS RD SL 165cm/12.5m (116.5/65.5/101.5): Stiff flex. Tenacious edge grip, extremely powerful and solid, unbelievably stable at speed. While not subjectively my favorite to ski, I actually objectively ski best on this--getting higher edge angles, better lines, faster times.

Dynastar/Rossignol FIS SL 165cm/13m (116-67-103): Soft flex. By far the easiest and most fun to ski of all the FIS SL’s I’ve tried, both in the course and just free-skiing on-piste. Lot’s of rebound energy, no problems gripping hard snow, high speed limit. Definitely my favorite FIS SL to ski.

Bottom line: the Dynastar/Rossi is like a Golden Retriever, it wants to play, it wants to please you, it wants more! The Blizzard/Nordica is like a Belgian Malinois--energetic, devoted, but serious. The Atomic is a Greyhound, quick, twitchy, edgy.

I'm sure I'd love the Dynastar, but this makes me want to try the Atomic ... just because.

 

[bbbradley]

I've not skied the DiannaRossi ski, but I concur with the difference on feeling of the Blizzard vs Atomic.

I've grown to really like the power over twitchy and am glad i took a chance on the Blizzards.

@DocGKR If you still have all three pairs, I'd be curious what, if any, weight differences there are among the three pairs.

 

[DocGKR]

"I concur with the difference on feeling of the Blizzard vs Atomic."

Wow, two people who don't know each other, thousands of miles apart, who come to the same conclusion after trying the same equipment--just amazing, almost like scientists duplicating experiments to verify a finding.....

Given the recent Stockli drama regarding my thoughts on ski testing, it is kind of nice to have someone else validate my assessments!

FWIW, subjectively by hand, the Blizzards are heaviest and the Atomics the lightest.

 

[ski otter 2]

I own the Atomics and the Rossis (two of them, one soft and as you described), and have demoed the Blizzards. To me, you described my experience on all three (just my softer Rossi SL, not the stiffer one), better than I could have probably. Thanks.

(And apologies for the seeming conflict/misunderstanding over on the Stockli thread: I'll bet if I'd been on the exact same setup - and ski - as you were/are on with the WRT-ST 172s I'd be saying the same thing about just that setup also - that you described it accurately, better than I would be able to do myself.
That is, if I was lucky enough to get it right.)

I really appreciate the great reviews you do, on skis I'd be interested in and/or find wonderful also.

 

[AlpsSkidad]

Anyone happen to know what the difference is between the 2019/20 version of the Blizzard FIS RD SL ski as shown above by @DocGKR and @ScotsSkier versus the 2022/23?(Shown here in the attachment) Is it just top sheet graphics? I’m looking to buy and can source either with a $100 difference between them. If it’s just a top sheet difference I’ll go with the cheaper option (both are new) as I have no preference between the two graphically- but if it is something else in the construction, maybe I need to think on it…

 

[DocGKR]

Pretty much the same--I don't feel a difference on snow or hand flexing. The Nordica FIS RD SL version is also identical.